Generative AI in Higher Education

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2 weeks
3 hours per week
Digital certificate when eligible
Introductory level

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Learn how generative AI could transform teaching, learning, and assessment

From the arrival of chatbots like ChatGPT to the spread of uncannily convincing AI-generated images, we are seeing increasingly dramatic advances in the development of artificial intelligence. Higher education is just one of many sectors set to be impacted by the changes.

On this two-week course from King’s College London, you’ll review the latest developments in generative AI. As you investigate the potential uses and limitations of GenAI tools, you’ll prepare for the future of higher education.

Explore the capabilities, limitations, and ethics of AI

You’ll start the course with an overview of generative AI. You’ll examine the technology behind chatbots and image generators, and learn about their main capabilities and limitations.

You’ll also debate ethical and environmental concerns around AI.

Understand the potential impact of AI in education

Once you’ve explored the potential of generative AI, you’ll home in on its specific impact on higher education.

You’ll learn how generative AI tools could transform the way we teach, learn, and evaluate students, potentially threatening academic integrity but opening up new opportunities to improve educational practices.

Consider the wider influence of AI on the job market

Last but not least, you’ll consider the impact generative AI is having on the employment landscape.

You’ll investigate the emergence of new roles and erosion of others, discussing how courses and curricula should evolve to meet the needs of the new job market.

By the end of the course, you’ll have the knowledge you need to take on the future of artificial intelligence.

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Skip to 0 minutes and 4 seconds Dr Martin Compton: How will generative AI change what we study and how we study?

Skip to 0 minutes and 9 seconds Dr Sarah Bowden: What does the development of AI mean for assessment in higher education? Will assessment look the same as it does now in five or even two years time?

Skip to 0 minutes and 18 seconds Dr Caitlin Bentley: How we create responsible and trustworthy AI technologies, and what even is a responsible and trustworthy AI technology?

Skip to 0 minutes and 26 seconds Dr Charlotte Haberstroh: The development of AI and generative AI in particular is not just a technological leap. It’s a moment for us to pause and reconsider how we teach, learn and assess in higher education.

Skip to 0 minutes and 37 seconds MC: We hope that this course will be valuable to anyone working or studying in HE or anyone with an interest in the future of the sector.

Skip to 0 minutes and 45 seconds CH: You will hear from King’s students and expert King’s staff from a range of disciplines who have all contributed in valuable perspectives to this course.

Skip to 0 minutes and 53 seconds MC: We hope you’ll enjoy this opportunity to develop new literacies and competencies with us.

Syllabus

Week 1
What can and should we do with generative AI?
- Welcome
  In these introductory steps, you will learn about the structure of the course and meet your Lead Educators. You will also have the opportunity to introduce yourself to other learners on the course.
- Activity 1: Grasping the basics of AI and generative AI
  This activity provides you with some general context regarding AI and generative AI, including some key definitions. You will examine how these technologies emulate human intelligence, and learn about some of the tools available.
- Activity 2: Identifying capabilities and limitations
  In this activity, you will explore what generative AI tools do well, and also recognise some of their limitations. An examination of prompt engineering will help you understand how to get the best outputs from these tools.
- Activity 3: Ethics, access and sustainability
  This activity addresses key ethical, social and environmental considerations regarding generative AI in education. At the end of the activity, you will discuss whether you think the benefits of these tools outweigh the risks.
- Reflecting on Week 1
  In these concluding steps, you will share your reflections from the week, quiz yourself on some key themes, and prepare for Week 2.
Week 2
The impact of using generative AI in education
- Welcome to Week 2
  Here you will learn about the structure of Week 2 and prepare to apply what you have learned in Week 1 to specific higher education contexts.
- Activity 4: AI in teaching and learning
  In this activity, you will explore how generative AI is being used to enrich teaching and learning. You will learn how to apply the PAIR framework for using AI in education, and discuss whether AI could ever replace teachers.
- Activity 5: Understanding AI in assessment and evaluation
  This activity addresses the implications of AI for assessment and feedback in higher education. You will learn about the importance of critical AI literacy, and discuss the challenges of detecting GenAI outputs.
- Activity 6: AI and its impact on employment and society
  This activity looks more broadly at how AI is creating new job roles and changing existing ones. You will reflect on how inclusive careers education and interdisciplinary curricula can tackle some of the emerging challenges.
- Reflecting on Week 2
  In these concluding steps, you will share your reflections from the week and quiz yourself on some key themes. Finally, you will reflect on the whole course and share some actions you will take to develop further in this area.

When would you like to start?

Start straight away and join a global classroom of learners. If the course hasn’t started yet you’ll see the future date listed below.

Available now

Learning on this course

On every step of the course you can meet other learners, share your ideas and join in with active discussions in the comments.

What will you achieve?

By the end of the course, you‘ll be able to...

Summarise how artificial intelligence and generative AI work, emulate human intelligence, and create novel content .
Describe the key capabilities, limitations, challenges and opportunities of generative AI in higher education teaching, learning, feedback and assessment .
Discuss the importance of considering social, ethical, inclusivity and sustainability dimensions while utilising generative AI in education .
Explain the influence of generative AI on the employment landscape, including the emergence of new job roles, and the implications for disciplinary curricula of changing skill requirements.

Who is the course for?

This course is designed for anyone interested in learning more about the impact generative AI is having on higher education.

It will be particularly valuable for academics, teachers, and other educators, university professional services staff, policy makers and students.

Who will you learn with?

Martin Compton

Dr. Martin Compton is the AI and Innovation in Education Lead for King's College London. https://www.kcl.ac.uk/people/martin-compton

Oguz A. Acar

Oguz A. Acar is a Professor in Marketing & Innovation at King's Business School, King's College London. Find out more about him here: https://www.kcl.ac.uk/people/oguz-a-acar

Charlotte Haberstroh

I'm a Lecturer in Education at KCL. My expertise includes active learning, educational inequalities and the political economy of education. https://www.kcl.ac.uk/people/charlotte-haberstroh

Who developed the course?

King's College London

King’s College London, established in 1829 and a founding college of the University of London, is one of the world’s leading research and teaching universities, based in the very heart of London.


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Ways to learn

Choose the best way to learn for you!

Subscribe & save

$39.99

For your first month. Automatically renews

Develop skills to further your career

Access to this course
Access to 1,000+ courses
Learn at your own pace
Discuss your learning in comments
Digital certificate when you're eligible

Cancel for free anytime

Buy this course

$54/one-off payment

Fulfill your current learning need

Access to this course
Learn at your own pace
Discuss your learning in comments
Printed and digital certificate when you’re eligible

Continue & Upgrade

Limited access

Free

Sample the course materials

Access expires 24 Dec 2024

Find out more about certificates, Unlimited or buying a course (Upgrades)

Sale price available until 29 December 2024 at 23:59 (UTC). T&Cs apply.

Find out more about certificates, Unlimited or buying a course (Upgrades)

Sale price available until 29 December 2024 at 23:59 (UTC). T&Cs apply.

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